Caroline & Michael & Scott

Chapter 10

"July 15, 1982

Hey Anke,

I hope you're having a wonderful time, 'cause I am having just the perfect summer. (If you ignore the heat and the mosquitoes, that is.) I love Scott so much, I didn't know what I was missing before. I had fun with all my previous boyfriends. But that all it was, fun. And my life was missing something, ever since I made the decision three years ago not to concentrate on ballet. My dancing was like my boyfriends – fun but nothing else. It didn't seem like either was leading anywhere.

But not now. The more time I spend with Scott, the more I believe it can lead to something permanent. I can really see a future life with Scott. And now I have a goal for my dancing, too. And not something so grandiose, like dancing for Baryshnikov, that I get discouraged 'cause it's impossible. My goal is to get into the Milwaukee Ballet School Summer Program next year. It's not gonna be easy. They have tryouts in several cities in January and most applicants don't make it. But it's something I can do, if I keep improving. If I qualify, there'll be intense ballet training for six weeks from real professionals. I'll learn a lot, be exposed to a wider world of ballet, and make contacts. I'll have a leg up on my next goal – getting a dance scholarship. After that – who knows? Maybe I will dance for Baryshnikov!

And the best part is, Scott encourages me to dance, even though it takes away from our time together. He has a dream, too. He wants to get a football scholarship, so he can afford to go to college, and be an engineer. He doesn't know it yet, but I'm gonna try to encourage him also. I'm gonna tryout for cheerleader again. If I make it, we can see each other after every practice, and I can cheer him from the sidelines at every game. Do you believe in fate? It's like we're both meant to follow our dreams together. And with hard work and some luck, we'll both reach our dreams, together.

Your American friend,

Caroline"

******

Scott arrived at the Peshtigo School of Ballet that Friday to pick up Caroline prior to their date. It seemed like every other Friday, but this time, it was far from it. The first clue that things were different was that Scott wasn't wearing his letterman's jacket. He wore that everywhere. As Scott entered, everyone, even Miss Morgan, greeted him. He often picked up Caroline, everyone at the school knew and liked Scott.

"Hi Scott" greeted Sally. "Care's still in back, changing." That was a second difference: Usually, but not always, Scott would take Caroline home before their Friday night dates, and she would change there. "Getting' an early start on your date tonight, huh?" she winked at him.

Scott smiled broadly. "Yeah." Sally knew what was going on… Caroline always told Sally everything. But Sally didn't say anything to give away Caroline and Scott's secret… In a small town like Peshtigo, you never know if word would get back to people you'd rather not know.

It was only a little later that Caroline emerged from the back, carrying a bag with her ballet clothes, smiling. "Hey, Scott. Sorry to keep you waiting." They exchanged a brief kiss as they met.

"Bye, everybody" Caroline and Scott called out as they waved and left.

Everybody waved back. Sally replied with a conspiratorial grin "Bye, you two… Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Caroline managed to suppress her giggle until she got outside.

"Oh, that Sally!" Caroline giggled. As they reached his beloved white GTO, Caroline asked "You got everything?"

"Yep" Scott replied as he held the car door for Caroline. "A bag with burgers, fries, and Cokes from McDonald's is in back. We are ready to hit the road!"

Scott drove through town, then got on the US-41 South onramp. As with everything else, Caroline had planned their little sojourn meticulously. Always "Miss Goody Two Shoes", for once, Caroline was gonna break the rules. This little escapade was the most adventurous thing she had ever planned. The kids at school had heard about a great new movie that had just been released, "An Officer and a Gentleman". Of course, it hadn't reached Peshtigo yet. Rated R, with some swearing, nudity, and sex, there was a good chance that it never would. But it was playing in Green Bay, the city of 100,000 about an hour south of Peshtigo by way of US-41 and 141. Caroline had checked the Green Bay Press-Gazette in the library. She carefully noted the theater location and show times and had started making plans.

Technically, Caroline would be breaking the rules. Scott was 17, but Caroline had more than half a year until her next birthday. If accompanied, Caroline could attend an R-rated movie… except that Scott was definitely not her parent or guardian. Caroline knew that the worst that could happen was that the theater would refuse her entrance and that the trip would have been made for nothing. But if her parents ever found out, now that was another matter…

So Caroline did everything possible to make this seem like a normal date. She left straight from ballet practice, but she sometimes did that. They left early and had supper in the car (Scott having picked up some fast food before picking up Caroline), so that they wouldn't get back too late. The only thing out of the ordinary was that Scott wasn't wearing his beloved letterman's jacket. They were trying to look mature and he didn't wanna look like some high school jock. But he loved it too much to wear it around Peshtigo and just leave it in the car in Green Bay.

As they were cruising down US-41, Caroline smiled at Scott. "Oh Scott, I can't believe we're doing this."

"Me neither. This is the farthest I've ever gone on a date."

"This movie's supposed to be great."

"Yeah…! I hear it's got some nude scenes!"

"Oh Scott…" Caroline smirked. "Is that all you can think about?"

"No…" Scott teased. "Sometimes I think about football and cars."

"Oh you…!" Caroline chuckled, as she playfully punched Scott on the arm.

******

Caroline was as nervous on the inside as she was nonchalant on the outside when she and Scott approached the box office. All her worries proved groundless, the ticket seller didn't give a second thought to Caroline or Scott's ages. Once inside, Scott bought Cokes and a tub of popcorn, they found their seats, and settled in to enjoy the movie.

……

"An Officer and a Gentleman" was a boy meets girl tale. The boy, Zack Mayo (played by Richard Gere) was a street-wise, always-looking-for-an-angle loner who had a dream – to be a pilot. Pursuing his dream, he enlisted in the Navy, and got sent to Officer Candidate School boot camp, where he met fellow recruits and his tough as nails drill instructor. The girl, Paula (played by Debra Winger) also had a dream – to leave her mill job and find and marry a naval aviator. Their lives intersected when Zack met Paula at party during a break from boot camp. Zack, a well performing recruit, nevertheless got in trouble with his DI 'cause of his always-looking-out-for-number-one ways. The DI, despite his tough exterior, really cared about his recruits' success. His physical confrontation with Zack, combined with Paula's loving ways, convinced Zack that it's alright to care about other people. That in fact, in a large organization like the Navy, teamwork was the only way, combined with discipline, self-confidence, and determination, to achieve success. At the end of the movie, when Paula was sure that she was just another 13-week boot camp girlfriend, Zack came for her at the mill and literally swept her off her feet.

After the popcorn and Coke, Scott put his arm around her and Caroline snuggled in close to him. Caroline and Scott both enjoyed the movie immensely, and only a small part of it was due to the newness of seeing an R-rated movie and a little nudity.

As the movie ended, the credits rolled, and "Up Where We Belong", the hit song from the movie, could be heard.

The road is long
There are mountains in our way
But we climb a step everyday
Love lift us up where we belong
Where the eagles cry
On a mountain high

Wanting the movie's ending scene to last forever, Caroline reluctantly pulled away from Scott as the lights came up. As Scott withdrew his arm, Caroline softly voiced "I love happy endings. Don't you?"

He turned and smiled. "Yeah."

******

During the drive back to Peshtigo, Scott and Caroline occupied positions much like the ones they had in the theater, Caroline snuggling up to Scott, he wrapping his right arm around her. They had the radio playing softly. Both were trying to preserve the emotions they felt during the movie.

"Oh Scott, wasn't that a wonderful movie?"

"Yeah."

"What did you like about it…? Wait, don't tell me, let me guess… Those shots of Debra Winger's 'bodacious ta-tas'…?"

"Yeah" he teased. "Like your eyes didn't bug out when they showed that full frontal shot of Richard Gere." Then Scott became more serious. "I did like the fight scene and the love scenes, but what I really liked was the story. Don't you think it was inspirational…? Didn't it remind you of us… at least a little?"

"Oh yeah… you're a fast-talkin', smart-alecky, selfish guy, and I'm looking for a man, any man, to save me from a life of drudgery."

"No…! I mean, sure we're different types of characters, but they're both chasin' their dreams, just like we are. And if a screw-up like 'Mayo-naisse' can learn what it takes to make it, don't you think that with enough determination and confidence, we can reach our dreams too?"

"And each other… Don't forget that, Scott… Without Paula, Zack might have given up."

Scott pulled Caroline in a little tighter. "Yeah… with each other."

As Scott and Caroline paused for a tender moment, they heard a familiar tune to cement the mood.

"Listen Scott… they're playing the song from the movie."

"Our song" Scott replied, as Caroline turned the radio up.

Love lift us up where we belong
Far from the world we know
Where the clear winds blow